Anchor light won't stay snug

C

coopercc

New Member
Jul 21, 2015
3
Detroit, MI
Boat Info
2015 Sea Ray 21 SPX
Engines
Mercury 220
I own a 2015 Sea Ray 21 SPX i/o. The anchor light I have works this way: Stick it in the slot, push the black plastic "thing" in and turn the black plastic "thing" a half turn until it is snug. Great, I do this, all is good. But then as I drive the boat, the black plastic "thing" comes loose with the movement of the boat. My wife ends up having to hold the Anchor light in place. This can't be normal. Seems like a very bad design. Anyone else have this issue? Am I just an idiot doing something wrong?
 
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I had the same deal with one of my old boats. The black plastic thing doesn't go into the hole far enough to make a snug connection. I used to lube it up with a very thin layer of non-petroleum lube. The same stuff they use for swimming pool gaskets. It won't eat through the rubber o ring at the bottom of the black thingy. Make sure the entire black thingy is covered well and then follow the procedures you mentioned for installing it on the boat.

Additionally, make sure the contact points (two copper holes) at the bottom of the post are also corrosion free. A small piece of sandpaper wrapped around a toothpick should be small enough to get into the hole and clean all the green/white powder off the contact points.
 
On my boat there is a small pop rivet in the side of the aluminum light pole that slides into a groove in the light mount hole. The light mount is stainless or some hard metal, and the pole/rivet are aluminum. Over time and with movement, the rivet wears out and gets thinner/smaller (carved up by the steel base), and allows the pole to move around side to side and shift more and more. So I carefully drilled out the rivet and replaced it with a new (short) aluminum rivet. Now it is snug again and does not move around any more (at least until the new rivet wears out again). Just be careful drilling out the rivet because it is right where the wires connect to the pole base.
 
I have a 2015 220 sundeck now and it has like a 7' anchor light, it is a couple feet taller than the bimini and attached pretty low on the stern so it huge. It will not stay tight and it has fallen off once already, was able to retrieve it luckily.

I cant see how it can possible stay tight with how long it is no matter how hard I push the sleeve in. My solution was just use a bungee cord and attach it to the bimini when folded up, its only a couple inches away.
 
KP49 said:
I have a 2015 220 sundeck now and it has like a 7' anchor light, it is a couple feet taller than the bimini and attached pretty low on the stern so it huge. It will not stay tight and it has fallen off once already, was able to retrieve it luckily.

I cant see how it can possible stay tight with how long it is no matter how hard I push the sleeve in. My solution was just use a bungee cord and attach it to the bimini when folded up, its only a couple inches away.
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Solved the problem (I hope). My 21 foot bow rider, with the windshield being the tallest point (bimini I understand does not count if it is closed) and they gave me a 7' stern light. As you said it bobs back and forth and must be what makes the black plug come loose. I went and bought a new 30" light. Plenty tall. Who in their right mind would provide a 7' tall light. It just rocks and sways and comes loose. Hopefully this shorter light will do the trick, but why did I have to buy it on my own.
 
coopercc said:
Solved the problem (I hope). My 21 foot bow rider, with the windshield being the tallest point (bimini I understand does not count if it is closed) and they gave me a 7' stern light. As you said it bobs back and forth and must be what makes the black plug come loose. I went and bought a new 30" light. Plenty tall. Who in their right mind would provide a 7' tall light. It just rocks and sways and comes loose. Hopefully this shorter light will do the trick, but why did I have to buy it on my own.
Click to expand...

The 7' tall stern light was provided just in case you were out one night and it began to rain.

If you put the bimini up to keep the rain off now your windshield is no longer the tallest point on the boat.

Let's say you're involved in an incident and a lawsuit ensues. The company who made the boat is sued because they didn't provide the proper equipment. To cover their asses they include a stern light with a pole which is long enough in any situation you use the boat.
 
Boater420 said:
The 7' tall stern light was provided just in case you were out one night and it began to rain.

If you put the bimini up to keep the rain off now your windshield is no longer the tallest point on the boat.

Let's say you're involved in an incident and a lawsuit ensues. The company who made the boat is sued because they didn't provide the proper equipment. To cover their asses they include a stern light with a pole which is long enough in any situation you use the boat.
Click to expand...

+1

A shorter light would be a simple fix, but the light has to viable at all angles around the boat, Sea Ray didnt put that 7' light in there because they had it laying around :)

Luckily I can lash it to the bimini easily and it stays put. My last couple cruisers had the light on the arch but I had a 248 four winns that had the longest anchor light I ever seen to get over the bimini and that would come loose all the time as well, even at slow displacement speed. My old cobalt bowrider had a flush manual telescoping light that was cool, it was pretty long and would sway like crazy but it didnt come loose. I dont keep this 220 out past twilight often, dealing with the all-around light is a PITA but you will get spotted quick by the TWRA if all lights are not working at night.
 
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